Media Under Dystopia is a phygital exhibition program presented by MUD Foundation INC that explores tech-centered art. Our program supports artists pushing the boundaries of immersive technology and critical media as part of their creative practices. It creates exhibitions that combine physical and digital interfaces to explore and co-create through art. By utilizing WebXR and real-time technology, we explore how to transform and experience art, making it more accessible and decentralized.

“WASD” keys became the standard for moving around virtual worlds on the left side of our keyboard interface. First used in 1986 in “Dark Castle,” a video game made by Silicon Beach Software, WASD keys became the primary form of navigating virtual spaces moving forward. The WASD edition of Media Under Dystopia 3.0 takes on the idea of WASD keys as a conceptual framework that invites participants and visitors to navigate the space of the internet as an artistic metaverse.

Each work calls upon visitors to experience and engage with them in a virtual realm, intentionally positioning them as active participants in the artworks themselves. This idea is core to MUD Foundation’s mission – expanding beyond the traditional means of experiencing art and deconstructing the walls of space by opening up the boundless space of the metaverse as an access point for creative engagement.

Building upon previous iterations of its exhibitions program, this year MUD foundation is publicly launching its own metaverse platform, Onland.io–an open web-based metaverse with a mission of facilitating educational and artistic projects where the internet, data, virtual reality, and art converge. Onland.io will be the metaverse host platform for all of Media Under Dystopia exhibitions– past, present, and future–ensuring that these artworks can exist and evolve in perpetuity beyond the run of their physical presentations.

In the work of Vuk Ćosić, the intersection of digital and cultural histories is explored through the research and reimagining of “card stunts” used in various historical contexts where individuals become only a pixel and are surrogates to the collective inertia. Vladan Joler explores the concept of a new form of extractivism in the stacking behind contemporary technological systems creating a blueprint of a machine-like superstructure: a super allegory. Antonio Mendez, aka Queef Latina, uses the metaverse to bring drag performance and culture into a new dimension–to be experienced in various interfaces–allowing viewers of any ability, or background to immerse themselves. Rafael Rodríguez Gárciga’s work explores the phygital realm by translating data from the actual to the virtual, through 3D printed sensor interfaces that transform any surface into a smart surface.

Including both local and international artists, the participating artists in the exhibition include Ariel Baron-Robbins, Vuk Ćosić, Vladan Joler, Antonio Mendez, Rafael Rodríguez Gárciga, and Alba Triana. Onland.io will publicly launch with artworks by these participating artists and also Leo Castaneda, Jose Hernandez, and Yucef Merhi.

MUD 3.0, as part of its programming, will be putting into practice Onland.io’s mission of facilitating educational and artistic projects by presenting a series of workshops and projects centered around exploring the impact of new organizational forms-decentralized autonomous organizations- afforded by blockchain technology coupled with other disruptive technologies will have on art, community, and technology.

Media Under Dystopia: 3.0: WASD is supported partly by the National Endowment for the Arts and with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor, and the Board of County Commissioners. The artwork Augmented Drag Reality by Antonio Mendez is funded by The Ellies, Miami’s visual arts awards, presented by Oolite Arts with additional support from MUD Foundation.

MUD Foundation is sponsored partly by the State of Florida, the Department of State, the Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Next Reality Digital LLC.

The internet has become an integral part of our lives, but it wasn't always this way. In the early days of the internet, artists saw the potential of this new medium as a way to create a different kind of art object and art space. They recognized that the internet had the power to democratize access to information and to create new forms of public space. These artists became known as net art pioneers, and their work laid the foundation for the Media Under Dystopia program.

Net art artists recognized that the internet offered a way to create a public space accessible to anyone with a connection and a computer. They saw the potential of this new medium as a way to bypass traditional art institutions and create a more democratic art world. By utilizing the internet as a public space for art, net art artists were able to create exhibitions that reached a global audience not limited by physical space or time.

One of the key concepts of net art was the idea of interactivity. Net art artists saw the internet as a medium that could be used to create art that was participatory and that encouraged collaboration between artists and audiences. They recognized that the internet offered a way to create art that was more engaged with the world and that had the potential to effect social and political change. By embracing interactivity, net art artists were able to create a new kind of art that challenged traditional ideas about what art could be and who it was for.

MUD Foundation believes that the internet is a vital space for art creation and dissemination. Our Media Under Dystopia program is part of this vision and mission of using the Internet as a public realm for art, and we continue to explore new ways of utilizing this medium to create innovative and experimental exhibitions.

At MUD, we recognize that the future of the internet is an immersive XR ecosystem that is device and interface-agnostic, centered on the user experience. We believe that this shift toward immersive technology will enable artists to create more engaging and impactful art, and will also provide audiences with new ways to experience and interact with art.
As part of this technological journey, MUD Foundation is not only developing our exhibition program but also the technology behind it. We are constantly exploring new ways to use technology to enhance the art experience, from utilizing virtual reality to create immersive installations to utilizing blockchain technology to create more transparent and decentralized systems.

By utilizing the Internet as a medium and public space for art, the Media Under Dystopia program offers a more inclusive and accessible approach to exhibiting art. Unlike traditional gallery and museum shows, which can be exclusive to their physical space, our exhibitions can be accessed from anywhere. This makes them reachable for those needing access to physical exhibitions or feeling less connected to traditional art spaces.

The Media Under Dystopia program is a platform for artists who are pushing the boundaries of immersive technology as part of their creative practices. By creating exhibitions that combine physical and digital elements, we are encouraging innovation and experimentation in the art world. Through our program, artists can explore new ways of creating and exhibiting art, and audiences can experience art in a completely new and exciting way.

At MUD, we recognize that the future of the internet is an immersive XR ecosystem that is device and interface agnostic, centered on the user experience. We believe this shift toward immersive technology will enable artists to create more engaging and impactful art providing audiences with new ways to experience and interact with art.

By developing our metaverse platforms and as browser-based real-time 3D XR technology, we are making art more accessible to wider audiences around the world. These technologies allow us to create exhibitions that can be experienced from anywhere with an internet connection. This means that people who may not have the means to travel to physical exhibitions can still experience art in an immersive and interactive way.

As part of this technological journey, MUD Foundation is not only developing our exhibition program but also the technology behind it. We are constantly exploring new ways to use technology to enhance the art experience, from utilizing virtual reality to create immersive installations to utilizing blockchain technology to create more transparent and decentralized systems.

In addition to exploring and developing new technology, MUD Foundation is committed to digital inclusion and accessibility. As we move towards an XR ecosystem, it is crucial that we do not leave anyone behind. We believe that public art has the power to transform public spaces, and by utilizing XR interfaces, we can bring art into the everyday lives of people. This is why we are committed to not only creating immersive exhibitions but also partnering with community organizations to bring our exhibitions to public spaces, making art accessible to everyone. We believe that technology should be used to break down barriers, not create new ones.

The Media Under Dystopia program encourages new forms of creative expression by empowering artists to explore beyond the physical realm. By utilizing the internet as a medium and public space for art, we are breaking down barriers and encouraging artists to think outside of traditional mediums and formats. Through our program, we empower artists to create innovative and thought-provoking works that challenge our perceptions of what art can be.